Kim frowned as the work slowed and then ceased.
A tech took photos of the skull.
‘What the hell?…’ Bryant asked, as his gaze rested in the same place as hers.
Something unnatural was protruding from the eye.
FIVE
‘It’s a bone,’ Doctor A said as she stepped down into the hole.
Kim was relieved that hers was not the only expression of confusion around the pit.
How the hell was a bone protruding from the eye socket?
Kim looked to Bryant, who shook his head. Clearly, he’d never seen anything like it before either.
‘I don’t know which bone it is,’ Doctor A continued. ‘But this just got a whole lot difficulter.’
No one corrected her.
If the bones were anatomically correct there were clues for the direction of excavation and recovery. Normally the skull would lead to the vertebrae and so on. If the bones were not in their proper place, the process for removal was far more complicated for the scientists.
And for themselves also, Kim thought, turning to Bryant.
‘We need to speak to Woody. There’s a lot to sort out.’
He nodded his agreement.
Kim leaned forward and explained their departure to the scientist.
‘About time, Stone,’ Travis said, as they began to walk away. ‘You’ve encroached on my crime scene—’
‘It is my crime scene, Sergeant Travis,’ Doctor A barked. ‘You will do well to remember that.’
‘It’s Detective Inspector,’ he corrected frostily.
‘My mistake,’ Doctor A said, although Kim knew it was no mistake. It was her way of telling him to act his rank.
Kim chose not to look at him as they headed back towards the car.
Her mind was already making a list of requests for Woody. First and foremost was the need to survey the rest of the area. They had found body parts, and the whole field would need to be checked for more.
‘Do you think we’ll get it?’ Bryant asked.
She shrugged in response. She hoped so. Woody had come through for her every other time. Had she never known about the bones she would not have been so determined but once she visited a crime scene it was there in her head. It was now hers.
As they neared the gate, Kim could see that the additional vehicles had taken the place of the minibuses that had transported the students back to class.
The road out was clear except for a gleaming white Audi.
As if by magic, Tracy Frost appeared at the gate just as they reached it.
‘Hello, Frost. You’re back,’ Kim stated.
‘Miss me, Stone?’
‘Only if my aim was off,’ Kim quipped.
Tracy laughed.
There was less animosity between them than there used to be. Saving each other’s lives could do that to a relationship.
To be fair to the woman, Tracy had been busy investigating a drugs supply chain that led from the Midlands to the nation’s capital.
Kim looked her up and down and was pleased to see the five-inch heels still in place. Good to know things hadn’t changed that much.
‘So, Inspector?…’ Frost said, holding up her notebook.
‘I’ll save us some time,’ Kim said, walking past her. ‘No comment, no comment, no comment.’
As she expected, Tracy followed.
‘Police presence is excessive for a university training session, eh?’
Kim ignored her.
‘I’m guessing you’ve found something that shouldn’t be there. Am I right?’
Kim continued to ignore her.
‘Why are there two police forces here again?’
Kim reached the car and stopped walking. ‘By my count that’s three questions, and I’ve already given you my answers.’
Bryant coughed to hide his chuckle.
‘Okay, just one more,’ Tracy said, tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder.
‘You know I’m not going to…’
‘How the hell are you going to decide who gets this investigation?’ Tracy asked, anyway. ‘We’re right on the border of the two forces.’
‘Are we really?’ Kim asked, feigning shock.
‘So, you tossing a coin, pissing contest or arm wrestling?’ Tracy goaded.
Kim smiled. ‘Okay, this one gets an answer. We’re gonna take turns kicking you across that field and see who gets the furthest. Best of three. Now move your car.’
Tracy folded her arms over her breasts. ‘What if I don’t feel like?…’
‘Frost,’ Kim warned. She’d had enough. ‘Your car is gonna move if I have to ram it all the way back down the dirt track.’
Her arms dropped. ‘You wouldn’t.’
Kim nodded. ‘Oh, I would. It ain’t my car. It’s his,’ she said, nodding towards Bryant.
She got in and started the engine.
Tracy hurried backwards.
Kim gave her a little wave and revved the engine three times.
The reporter got into the Audi and began to reverse.
‘You wouldn’t have, would you, guv?’
Kim said nothing.
There was a body in the ground, and she needed to get back to the station.
Had Bryant really felt the need to ask?
SIX
Kim didn’t pause at the office before heading straight up to the third floor.
She had no doubt that news of the skull uncovered at Hayley Green would have reached her boss, DCI Woodward, already.
She knocked on the door and waited only a second for his call. He was expecting her.
She stepped into the office and held back the smile that teased at her lips. Never would she get bored of seeing that man sitting behind that desk. Although his six feet height was hidden behind the mahogany desk, his straight back and vertical torso were no less imposing; nor the smooth caramel skin accentuated by the crisp whiteness of a uniform he had earned.
Only six weeks earlier it could have been a very different story. They had never spoken of the incident in Welshpool and they probably never would. But a week after the case that had almost cost his granddaughter her life, Kim had received a solid gold miniature replica of a Triumph T100 motorcycle, her favourite model. With it was a colourful handwritten note from Lissy. And that was as much discussion as there would be.
‘Sir, I take it you know that…’
‘You found a skull in a field, Stone?’
‘Well, it wasn’t actually me,’ she corrected. She got enough shit for her own shit.
He sat back in his chair. ‘Sit down.’
She realised this conversation was going to take longer than she’d hoped. All she wanted to hear was ‘it’s yours, Stone’. Surely, she didn’t need to sit down for that?
‘Sir, we need to organise a full survey of the site, GPR equipment and—’
‘Slow down, slow down,’ he said, holding up his hand. ‘There is a geographical issue to deal with first that I gather you and Travis discussed at the scene.’
She just about stopped her eyes from rolling.
Travis must have called his DCI the second she was out of view. She added ‘telltale’ to the list of his unenviable qualities.
It wasn’t important. What was important was the fact that the two DCIs had already spoken, and Woody was not looking pissed off. It boded well for possession.